ES contemporary art gallery has evolved over the years since its founding in 2008 into an independent platform for contemporary art. This lively forum for communication and exchange of ideas has come into being at the interface between project space and art gallery.

We are convinced of the importance of contemporary art in society and the need for discourse about art that is led not only by established institutions. The exhibitions and events—both in the gallery and in the public sphere—will intrigue people and raise their awareness, inviting them into straightforward debate about contemporary art and the topical issues surrounding it.

Independence, strength of creativity, and compatibility with the concept of the gallery are the most important criteria for the selection of artists for exhibition. Although ES contemporary art gallery receives no public funding, the actual market value of our exhibits is not a deciding factor. The gallery is more than an exhibition space or sales point. Based on this conviction, the ES contemporary art gallery identifies itself consciously as a hybrid space. First and foremost, you’ll find a permanent venue for critical analysis of the contemporary arts here.

We pay particular attention to young—and older—artists who are not already jaded by the art market machine. We seek a balance between regional and international artists in our range of exhibitions.

The exhibiting artists are consistently challenged to adapt their work and their conceptualization to the space—and then take it to the next step. It isn’t unusual for our exhibitors to develop exciting interdisciplinary, cross-media projects that end up incorporating several other artists. The gallery is a platform even for disciplines peripheral to contemporary art such as product design and interior design.

The involvement of young people in the creative discourse also plays a central role for us. Therefore, we specifically seek to collaborate with artists whose projects invite young people into dialogue with art that is relevant today, that raises their awareness, and that prods them into independent creative processes.

ES contemporary art gallery has filled a void in Merano, firmly establishing itself in the perception of the public and the media as a driving force—a laboratory for art, communication and aesthetics.

In addition to ongoing collaboration with local institutions, ES contemporary art gallery has developed a growing network of partners at home and abroad in order to present the work of the gallery and that of its associate artists. Our participation in national and international art fairs has supported and complemented these partnerships.